General Government Committee

TUMWATER GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING February 14, 2024 Page 1 CONVENE: 8:00 a.m. PRESENT: Chair Michael Althauser and Councilmember Joan Cathey. Excused: Councilmember Leatta Dahlhoff. Staff: City Administrator Lisa Parks, City Attorney Karen Kirkpatrick, Community Development Director Michael Matlock, Finance Director Troy Niemeyer, Planning Manager Brad Medrud, and Communications Manager Ann Cook. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE, JANUARY 10, 2024: MOTION: Councilmember Cathey moved, seconded by Chair Althauser, to approve the minutes of January 10, 2024 as published. A voice vote approved the motion. SELECTION OF The item was deferred to the March meeting. COMMITTEE CHAIR: INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT Manager Medrud reported the request is to recommend the BETWEEN THE CITY OF placement of the Interlocal Agreement between the City of Lacey, LACEY, THE CITY OF the City of Olympia, the City of Tenino, the City of Tumwater, City OLYMPIA, THE CITY OF of Yelm, Thurston County, and Thurston Regional Planning Council TENINO, THE CITY OF (TRPC) to support Housing Element updates on the Council’s TUMWATER, CITY YELM, consent calendar for the meeting of February 20, 2024. The THURSTON COUNTY, AND agreement authorizes staff to work with TRPC to develop a land THURSTON REGIONAL capacity analysis. Although, the number of housing units required PLANNING COUNCIL TO to accommodate population growth in the City over the next 20 years SUPPORT HOUSING has been identified as sufficient, the land capacity analysis provides ELEMENT UPDATES: information as to whether the City’s current zoning and land use designations provide sufficient capacity for housing units or whether changes would be necessary to accommodate needed housing. The City’s cost share of the interlocal agreement equates to approximately $8,000. Staff is also working closely with the cities of Olympia and Lacey and Thurston County on another related issue for the Housing Element update to complete a displacement study. That study identifies potential outcomes to existing residents if the City makes changes to the Housing Element. MOTION: Councilmember Cathey moved, seconded by Chair Althauser, to recommend placement of the Interlocal Agreement on the February 20, 2024, City Council consent calendar to authorize the Mayor to sign the Interlocal Agreement between the City of TUMWATER GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING February 14, 2024 Page 2 Lacey, the City of Olympia, the City of Tenino, the City of Tumwater, City of Yelm, Thurston County, and Thurston Regional Planning Council to Support Housing Element Updates. A voice vote approved the motion. 2025 COMPREHENSIVE Manager Medrud briefed members on the status of community PLAN PERIODIC UPDATE – outreach for the periodic update of the Comprehensive Plan and COMMUNITY OUTREACH: proposed next steps. A number of outreach activities are scheduled during the year. All community outreach is guided by the Community Engagement Plan outlining the process and activities. The objective for community outreach is to ensure the community and stakeholders have meaningful opportunities to participate in the update process of the Comprehensive Plan. The Engagement Plan outlines tactics, strategies, and platforms to work with the community and stakeholders throughout the update. The periodic update began with Step 1 to engage the community process followed by Step 2 to complete gathering and analyzing data. Step 3 involves evaluating current policies. During 2024 and 2025, staff will work on revising proposed policies and reviewing and updating regulations. All documentation related to the update are posted on the City’s website. The first online survey was released in November 2023. Over 22,000 postcards were mailed in addition to notices on the City’s webpage and social media platforms. Over 800 responses have been received to date. The first survey closes on February 14, 2024. Open houses and community conversations enable City staff to engage and consult with the community. The first hybrid community Open House was held on January 31, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at the Tumwater Fire Station Training Room. The Open House began with introductions to the update process and staff, a presentation on the process and polls and surveys followed by a summary. Staff responded to questions from community members. Attendance included 16 community members participating online and 43 community members attending in person. Seven staff members also attended. Manager Medrud shared some of the responses and questions from the online survey and by participants during the open house:  Are more essential facilities like schools and social services being proposed? TUMWATER GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING February 14, 2024 Page 3  When will the survey results be posted?  Is the City trying to attract specific businesses or identify any that are lacking?  How will affordable housing be provided for future generations?  How can I be more involved with the housing challenges in our community?  How were housing projections determined?  How will density, land use, and zoning designations change?  How will the E-Street extension project be addressed? (Staff plans to conduct a separate meeting and discussion with the community)  Will old or unused sites be considered for redevelopment?  What are steps can be taken to address the housing crisis?  How do we create walkable neighborhoods and needed sidewalks?  How do we fund housing, services, essential facilities, and social services? Councilmember Cathey asked whether any feedback was offered from community members at to the reason for concerns surrounding the E Street Extension project. Manager Medrud said staff has been engaged in discussions with neighbors about the project and has been sharing information on the status of the project. Many community members expressed concerns that there has been no resolution to their questions. However, it should be noted that at this time, it is not possible to address some of the questions until the City has identified funding possibilities to move forward. The project has been identified by the City to the extent possible to secure funding sources to advance to the next step, which would include outreach to the community. Many of the neighbors have concerns that are valid but were related more to the final layout and design of the project. Another meeting and discussion will be scheduled to address many of the unresolved issues. Chair Althauser noted that during one presentation/discussion, an older graphic was shared that spoke to an earlier timeframe for the project, which also prompted concerns by many neighbors that the project was proceeding without proper outreach to the community. City Administrator Parks added that after the meeting, staff provided clarification about the analysis that had been completed as technical and an engineering exercise to ascertain the feasibility of the project. The analysis was based on conceptual corridors rather than a precise location. Most people she spoke with were satisfied to learn that any design, engineering, and permitting related to the project requires TUMWATER GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING February 14, 2024 Page 4 public participation, particularly as it relates to the State Environmental Policy Act review. If any federal funding is included, a National Environmental Policy Act review is also required. Many of the neighbors appeared to be reassured and committed to participating in the periodic update process. Manager Medrud reported the Open House participants expressed interest in learning more about affordable housing, climate and environment, and transportation. Most participants were interested in learning more about any issue related to housing, affordability, density of housing, and housing types. Interest in climate was similar. Staff reviewed the status of drafting the new Climate Element. Participants responded to a variety of methods for preferred ways to learn about future conversations on the update process. Manager Medrud summarized the phases of the update process: Phase 1 – 2024-2025 – Community Engagement  Data Collection  Review of existing Plan Elements, Development Code, and State Requirements  Community Engagement – Website, Social Media, Community Survey, and Open Houses Phase 2 – 2024 – Plan Development  Open Houses on specific topics such as housing, climate, and transportation  Planning Commission and City Council meetings on proposed amendments Phase 3 – 2025 – Legislative Adoption Process  Planning Commission review and public hearings(s)  City Council review and approval Manager Medrud acknowledged staff from the Communications Department for preparing for and establishing the structure of the Open House. Staff will provide updates to the City Council and Planning Commission on the community engagement effort throughout the periodic update. The community will be notified of key meetings and open houses via the periodic update webpage, social media, Tumwater On-Tap e-newsletter, and City email contact list. TUMWATER GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING February 14, 2024 Page 5 Manager Medrud invited questions from the committee. Councilmember Cathey commented that she is encouraged as to the input received from the community. Chair Althauser agreed and suggested posting flyers/information on community boards at various locations throughout the City including community boards at the Valley Athletic Club and the golf course. Manager Medrud shared that communications staff and other staff members distributed flyers throughout the community, as well as engaging in conversations at the various sites when posting the flyers. INTERLOCAL Manager Medrud reported the proposed amendment to the agreement AGREEMENT BETWEEN between the City of Tumwater and Port of Olympia for the Bush THE CITY OF TUMWATER Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is a result of Port staff AND THE PORT OF reviewing the agreement and recommending some minor changes. OLYMPIA FOR THE BUSH The changes add language addressing the expiration of the PRAIRIE HABITAT agreement, which extends the agreement to give both parties more CONSERVATION PLAN time. The agreement serves as the foundation for the City to work (HCP) AMENDMENT NO. 3: with the Port of Olympia to develop the Habitat Conservation Plan. The Port Commission reviewed and approved the amendment at its January 22, 2024, meeting. The request to the committee is to recommend the City Council add the amended Interlocal Agreement between the City of Tumwater and the Port of Olympia for the Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Amendment No. 3 to the consent calendar for approval at its February 20, 2024, meeting. Councilmember Cathey asked whether the change sparked some conversation. Manager Medrud advised that there are other issues currently under discussion. The proposed action continues the ongoing relationship with the Port to develop the HCP since 2016. Chair Althauser cited language designating the City as responsible for most of the administrative paperwork. He asked whether that has been an ongoing practice since the agreement was first executed. Manager Medrud affirmed that the City has been managing the administration of grants and associated paperwork. Chair Althauser asked for confirmation that the provision that specifies that once a permit is granted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agreement would expire within 90 days. Manager Medrud affirmed that the interpretation was correct. He noted a replacement interlocal agreement would be negotiated with the Port of Olympia to address any issues once the City receives approval of the HCP and a permit is issued by the federal government. TUMWATER GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING February 14, 2024 Page 6 MOTION: Councilmember Cathey moved, seconded by Chair Althauser, to recommend the City Council add the amended Interlocal Agreement between the City of Tumwater and the Port of Olympia for the Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Amendment No. 3 to the consent calendar for approval at its February 20, 2024 meeting. A voice vote approved the motion. ADJOURNMENT: With there being no further business, Chair Althauser adjourned the meeting at 8:32 a.m. Prepared by Valerie L. Gow, Recording Secretary/President Puget Sound Meeting Services, psmsoly@earthlink.net